Has anybody used their D70 as a spot meter and to what degree of success?
I have just purchased a Mamiya RB67 that has no metering at all. I have a Flash meter (Sekonic L358) which is fine when shooting indoors but when I want to use the Mamiya for Landscape I have a bit of a problem.
Could I use the D70 in spot meter mode and use these readings for my Mamiya - of course allowing for ISO difference, etc
doesn't your L358 also read ambient light? I've never used my D70 as a spot meter since I've got a handheld spot meter which I use for my film work, following the great ZONE system (does any one even know what that is any more ? ) I either use the zone system, or meter from a grey card....
Although I don't have the L358, I do have a Sekonic L-248 and a Minolta Flashmeter IV F.
I've used both of them extensively over the years. In the case of the L-248 both as reflective and incident meter modes and the Minolta as both a reflective and flash meter.
To be honest with you, I often use my L-248 instead of relying on the internal meter of my D2h and my D70.
So, short answer is, exposure is exposure. You can use the meter in the D70 (which is reflective) or you can use your ambient handheld meter. They will give different results, so of course you should know how to allow for the approach you use. Personally, I use ambient whenever possible... but I'm also very comfortable dealing with reflective metering.
Maybe I'm missing something here, but I have and use the L358, it's both a flash meter as well as ambient. Plus, it will meter incident and reflective. I'm sure you know this, but if you meter off a gray card with a reflective meter, you'll get exactly the same results as an incident light reading. FWIW, all non-flash light is ambient, but you measure it using reflective light or incident light methods.
Thanks Jack! I used the incorrect terms... you are correct, I was referring to incident meter reading, rather than ambient... I hate when I do that
So, to clarify, the OP can use the L358 as either an incident or reflective light meter. Which would probably be easier than hauling around a D70, unless you really require a spot meter...
I have a Rollei which doesn't have a built in meter - and I have used my D100 and D2h to get meter readings. And I was successful in both cases. If you can read german - there is also a guide posted on the back of the camera.
lxdesign wrote:
I have a Rollei which doesn't have a built in meter - and I have used my D100 and D2h to get meter readings. And I was successful in both cases. If you can read german - there is also a guide posted on the back of the camera.
I haven't read the back of my Rollei in a while (and I don't have it with me) but IIRC, I think that is just the good 'ole "Sunny 16" Rule...
My first 35mm camera was a Yashica range finder without a meter, and I got reasonably good a guessing the proper exposure...
The sunny 16 rule says that on a bright sunny day, your exposure should be f/16 and shutter speed 1/ASA... in other words, using Tri-X (asa 400), f/16, 1/400 (or rounded off the the nearest speed)...
Then, you would make allowances based on other conditions: Slightly overcast - open 1 stop, Overcast - 2 stops, Deeply overcast - 3 stops.
I amaze myself sometimes when I perfectly type something on the keyboard, it just happened that it wasn't what was going through my mind at the time 